Controllable nanoscale rotating actuator system based on carbon nanotube
and graphene

JZ Huang and Q Han, NANOTECHNOLOGY, 27, 155501 (2016).

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/27/15/155501

A controllable nanoscale rotating actuator system consisting of a double
carbon nanotube and graphene driven by a temperature gradient is
proposed, and its rotating dynamics performance and driving mechanism
are investigated through molecular dynamics simulations. The outer tube
exhibits stable pure rotation with certain orientation under temperature
gradient and the steady rotational speed rises as the temperature
gradient increases. It reveals that the driving torque is caused by the
difference of atomic van der Waals potentials due to the temperature
gradient and geometrical features of carbon nanotube. A theoretical
model for driving torque is established based on lattice dynamics theory
and its predicted results agree well with molecular dynamics
simulations. Further discussion is taken according to the theoretical
model. The work in this study would be a guide for design and
application of controllable nanoscale rotating devices based on carbon
nanotubes and graphene.